Curiosity
by S J Smith
Summary: Paninya wants to know about the inscription in Ed's watch. Who better to go to than his brother? Post-108 fic.


**Title:** Curiosity

**Author:** S J Smith

**Rating:** Gen

**Summary: **Paninya wants to know about the inscription in Ed's watch. Who better to go to than his brother?

**Disclaimer:** I just play in Arakawa's world.

**Note:** Written for Kalirush in honor of 3 October, 2012, for her prompt: Did Paninya ever find out what the thing in Ed's watch meant? Was she curious about it?

* * *

"Does your brother still have that watch?"

Al blinked at Paninya a few times, then realization hit. "You mean his pocket watch? The one you stole?" When she nodded, he scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know. Maybe. I wasn't there when he completed his paperwork to resign from the military." He grinned, sudden, and Paninya reminded herself she was not going to fall for an Elric boy, no matter how cute they were when they smiled. "You could try to pick his pocket and find out."

"Winry might kill me," Paninya said in all seriousness.

"Well, you would be sticking your hand down Ed's pants pocket." The corners of his mouth twitched, his smile getting impossibly broader. "I wonder if Winry's done that?"

"Geeze, I hope so." Rolling her eyes, Paninya thought her friend could probably use some of that. Ed, too; especially as high strung as he was. She found herself eyeing Al, and it wasn't a bad sight, not at all. But she still had questions, and put the ideas about Al, and maybe trying out his pretty body, out of her mind. At least for a few seconds. "So, what'd it mean?"

"What'd what mean?"

"You know. That legend in his watch."

Al sat up straighter, leaning toward her, frowning just a bit. "What do you mean?"

Oh. Al didn't know. Hmm. "I guess I have to ask Ed, after all." Paninya grinned, and poked Al's nose. "You wanna come with me and find out?" His eyes crossed and he was slow to come with her, but he did. Just like she expected.

Edward Elric was pretty easy to find – if you knew where to look. He'd muttered too many times about how much he hated Rush Valley's mechanics to be out wandering the streets, so, instead, Paninya headed up. The roof of Garfiel's shop was kind of cozy, after all; a little shaded, and with a decent view of the valley. Winry'd planted sunflowers up there, and some other green things Paninya didn't know the name of but grew pretty well in a lot of sunlight. And there were some chairs, and a table, and Ed, too, watering and weeding Winry's pots. Al let out a low whistle that jerked Ed's head up, and he turned red – redder; he was still burnt from the other day, when they were painting Garfiel's shop.

"Aww, that's sweet," Al said, and wasn't that a shit-eating smile on his face? "Did Winry ask you to do her dirty work?"

Ed growled, his knuckles tightening around the handle of the hand trowel. "I needed something to do!"

"Good for you, too," Paninya said, nipping the fight in the bud before it could get started. "Al, why don't you go get us some drinks?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, but then Winry appeared with a tray, and a pitcher, and four glasses and Paninya wondered if her friend was smarter than she let on – then again, the way to get onto the roof passed her workshop, and she probably knew Ed was up here, and – enough. "Lemonade for everyone," Winry said, almost firmly, and that was that for a few minutes, at least until they'd all sat around the table. Paninya studied them all over the rim of her glass, how Winry sat with her feet curled to one side, and Ed propped an elbow on the table, his cheek on his fist. They leaned toward each other, and Paninya hid a smirk at it. Al had both hands on his glass, running his fingers up the sweating sides.

Paninya held up her hand, dropping the watch out of it. It bounced at the end of its chain, swinging from side to side. "So, you got to keep your watch?"

"How the hell - " Ed bit off the rest of that sentence, snatching at the case.

Paninya pulled it out of his reach, shaking a finger at him. "I was just curious," she said, and started to ask the rest of her question, but stopped. Winry's eyes bored into hers, not quite a plea, not quite – Paninya wasn't sure what. Anger? Whatever was there, Ed blurred it when he stood up, leaning across the table and making the pitcher and all the glasses rock.

"Gimme my watch!" he snapped and this time, Paninya did. Ed shoved the case back in his pocket, glaring. "Have to keep your hand in, huh?"

Grinning, Paninya spread her hands. "Maybe."

"Sit down, Ed," Winry ordered, and he did, shooting a glare at Paninya. Maybe, she thought, she was going about this wrong. Winry would know. Then again, Winry had a tight lip, too.

Paninya sighed to herself. Maybe she'd never find out what that stupid legend meant in Ed's watch.

"So," Al said, "Ed, everybody but me seems to know about your watch and some inscription…?"

Or maybe she would.

* * *

- _end_ -


End file.
